Spires and the PP squad have been working closely with Colburn and his Westbourne Motorsport team throughout their maiden Clio Cup campaign.

The 2014 Michelin Clio Cup Series Road class champion has been a fixture in the competitive midfield pack all season, securing five top ten finishes.

“It’s a team decision that I fully accept and respect – everyone within PP is a team player and it will be interesting to see how James goes about things and to hear his feedback,” said Spires.

“I feel I’ve had a very positive first crack at the UK Clio Cup with obvious highlights being our pace in qualifying for our debut at Brands Hatch (seventh and sixth on the two grids), the sixth and fifth place finishes in the two Thruxton races and also the pace we showed the first time we’d run the car in the wet in race one at Rockingham.

“Now I’m looking forward to the final two events at Silverstone and Brands Hatch again and continuing to learn for a return with PP alongside James in 2017.”